Goodbye 2008

This is my last post on Ahead of the Wave in 2008.

This hasn't been the easiest year for me but I know I'm not alone. Sometimes it seems that the years get tougher all the time despite the accumulation of life experience and (hopefully) wisdom. But, having weathered the rough patches, I'm looking forward to starting anew in 2009. I have gratitude in my heart for life's blessings first and foremost. But, as long as I acknowledge the good, I will allow myself to admit that this was still one "kick butt" year. I'm glad to bid farewell to 2008 even though I welcomed its start with open arms one year ago tonight in my post entitled Goodbye 2007. Ahhhhhh.

Memories of January-November are beginning to fade, especially the not-so-good memories. The good stuff that happened lingers longer and for that I'm grateful. I remember with fondness our trip to Florence, the summer picnic in Discovery Park, Chris and Denny's graduations, Denny's passing the Washington State Bar exam, wonderful meals with family, and most recently favorable jobs for both D and myself, starting January 2009. Yeah!

December 2008, freshest on my mind was a doozie, however. All I can say is, "What a strange month.....Christmas especially."

We have so many family traditions associated with this holiday and many of them just never happened this year. A combination of the weather (snow bound conditions that went on for over a week in Seattle), Mom's admission to the hospital December 23rd, my on-call duties at the hospital, and the fact that Laura was in Scandinavia instead of Seattle during this time made for the oddest Christmas holiday I've ever experienced. Although we had our Christmas meal(s), made holiday treats, trimmed a tree and decked it out with balloons (a Christmas Eve tradition), we weren't able to pull off the gathering of the clan so to speak. No Christmas pudding, lit with 151 proof rum and dressed with foamy sauce, made it to the communal table this year. There was never an opportunity with all of us spread out across the city, fighting weather and other obstacles. We'll just have to save this for next year. I'm glad that many of us were able to gather at Jeanne and Dan's home on the 28th for Texas tamales, Aruban pastechies, homemade bean soup, pecan pie and Carrie's infamous "cake-tops" with vanilla ice cream.

Tonight as the year draws to a close, Denny and I will open a bottle of champagne in a quiet house. Both of our children are miles and miles away tonight; one in St. Petersburg, Russia and the other in Walnut Creek, California. I'm hoping my sister comes over to share the bottle with us; she won't be in town too much longer and I'd like to spend more time in my living room talking with her and admiring our Christmas tree. The season is soon to end.

Let's chill out and enjoy the unfolding moments by living more in the present as our cat, Boo does perched under the tree taking in the last of this holiday season.

Wishing everyone a great start to 2009!
And, no more snow!